Tom Hanson: Prediction -- one politician will run, another just gets snakebit

He hasn't made this official. He hasn't told me so. In fact, he hasn't returned a call made to him a week ago. So like picking Tiger Woods to win a golf tournament, this is an easy prediction.

Why else announce that you're going to hold a gathering at your home, this coming Thursday, to announce your intentions?

Run against current Councilman Ben Nelson who made his mayoral run official last week or say thank you for a great four years? I'm not buying the second choice.

The likeable Arend cares too much. And that's a positive. Arend is also very proud and sensibly stubborn. These two characteristics have been highlighted in conflicts with Estero over the Coconut Road interchange and with Lee County over the widening of Bonita Beach Road.

Remember this is the mayor who wanted to petition the state to give local businesses money after the U.S. 41 road delays cost them.

So Arend will not back down from this challenge either.

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The debate about making the new lanes on Interstate 75 toll roads has become as congested as the current road situation during the height of season.

The problem is created by having too many committees with too many opinions.

How many road agencies do we need?

There's the Lee County MPO, short for Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Collier County MPO, the joint Collier/Lee MPO, the Southwest Florida Expressway Authority, the Regional Planning Council and the Transit Authority.

Throw in the Lee County Commission, the Collier County Commission and the Bonita Springs City Council, which are all redundant because members also serve on the road boards.

The only opinion that counts is from the ones who are going to pay the toll.

Though it's not scientific, 72 percent out of more than 1,000 people say ‘no' to tolls in a poll on bonitnanews.com and naplesnews.com.

Let the people vote. Who cares if it will cost to hold a special election? As for my two cents on paying $2 bucks-plus to drive on I-75: Where else on the 1,786-mile stretch of road that runs from Sault Ste. Marie at the Michigan-Canada border to Miami is there a toll? Only on Alligator Alley and that's the worst stretch of road.

So just say no to tolls.

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Even when he sat on the Bonita Springs City Council, David Piper was considered a bit unconventional. So should anyone be surprised that on Arbor Day, Piper was chopping down trees.

To be fair, Piper didn't know that Friday was Arbor Day. He only knew hurricane season is just around the corner.

A 60-foot Royal Palm dangerously leaned over the alligator pit at Piper's Wonder Gardens on Old 41 Road. Piper worried the 4-foot wide tree might fall on a bridge structure, costing him time, money and headaches.

He laughed when I told him it was Arbor Day. He also laughed when a small snake that he was holding bit him on his hand. And he laughed when asked if he might run for mayor against Arend and Nelson.

Piper said he doesn't miss politics but he worries about decisions being made for the city.

Piper went and washed off the blood from his snake bite with an antiseptic. He then led a group of visitors on a tour of the local animal attraction. As for the wounds of losing out in the last election, Piper didn't appear to have any scars.